Turkey's national security in the Middle East

The Middle East poses threats and opportunities for Turkey's national security. This article analyzes Turkey's national security considering five integrated variables: the regime's political legitimacy, the society's ethnic and religious tolerance, the availability of essential natural resources such as water, oil, and gas, the state's economic capabilities, and the state's military capabilities. The article examines the foreign policy directions and complex choices facing policymakers regarding Turkey's relations with Iraq, Iran, Syria, Israel, and the GCC states, in order to preserve Turkey's national security in the Middle East.